by Chris Bostic
He flipped it back over and pulled off a side plate.
“The battery’s been removed.”
“They’re not hardwired?” I asked, surprised at his revelation.
“Nah.” He kept turning it over in his hand.
“Why not?”
“More expensive.” He shrugged. No further explanation was needed after having seen firsthand how the distillery ran on a shoestring budget. But Lee continued, saying, “Easier to move if it’s not tied down, and the batteries last a few weeks on a single charge.”
I thought I understood, but for clarity I asked, “So it’s a wifi connection from here to somewhere, then to your phone?”
“Yeah. There’s a router or modem or whatever in Distillation. Everything connects through there.”
“It makes sense, if only it worked.”
“It does when it has batteries.” He hung the useless camera back up on the mount. “The other two houses still have a feed for some reason, so he didn’t take out the hub in Distillation…yet.”
“Maybe since he’s barrel crew, he doesn’t even know it’s there?” I hypothesized.
“You’re probably right about that.”
“So you’re gonna want to check there next?”
“Might as well.” Lee reached out to take back his bigger pistol. “Guess you don’t need that right this second.”
“Thankfully no.” I handed it over. “Hopefully never.”
After holstering the weapon behind his back, Lee went back to staring at the cross beam, scratching his head.
“So what’s so important that he took out all my cameras?”
“Not all of ‘em,” I reminded him.
Lee took out his phone and went to the app. “Surprise, surprise. Guess what?”
“They’re all offline now.”
“Bingo. You win a prize.”
“I hope it entails a glass of wine, a hot tub, and my comfy bed.”
“Perhaps later.” He smirked. “I’m surprised to hear you say you’d want more wine. I’ve seen you rubbing that head.”
“It’s an expression. I could probably do without the hot tub too.”
“That’s a shame.” He looked disappointed, as if he really thought he had a chance to get in the tub with me after a day like that one. “So maybe just a quick shower and then bed?”
“Definitely a cold shower for you,” I said. “Maybe at your place. You don’t need to be getting any ideas.”
“Too late.”
CHAPTER 16
“Well, detective,” I said after we stood under the powerless camera a while longer. “I’m about ready to turn this over to the professionals and go on home. It’s gotta be close to quitting time.”
“I am a professional.”
“I know, but not the ones I had in mind.”
“I figured as much.” Lee looked back up at the ceiling. “I’ve gotta stay ‘til I find out why my batteries are missing.”
“You know I drove today? I’ve got the keys.” Admittedly, they were back in the office, but I still had them more or less in my possession.
“Then I guess you could go home and come back to pick me up later. This could take a while.”
I couldn’t do that to him. I could hide out in my office, though. That seemed to qualify as sheltering in place, once I actually got there.
“I’ll stay,” I told him. “Just up in my office…or I’ll go sit in the car.”
“I don’t know how I feel about that.”
I eyed him up but couldn’t make out a specific concern. “Something I should be worried about?”
“I don’t think. I really don’t think this’ll amount to much of anything, but I just like it better when I can watch over you.”
I put on my bravest face and pointed toward the holster on his back. “That’s not necessary if you give me that pistol back.”
“It kinda still is. Safety in numbers and all.”
“Valid point.” I blew out my frustration. “So what do we do?”
Lee didn’t answer right away.
Once again, I thought I should offer to walk back to the office, no longer seeing any need to follow through with an investigation that wasn’t at all part of my job. However, I couldn’t just leave him alone.
“I guess I could stay. But what about this shelter in place stuff?” I asked seeing how that was the only thing I cared about by that point.
“What about it?”
“How do we know when there’s an all clear…even if it’s seemed the whole time like a giant nothing?”
Lee looked at me like I had two heads. “Let me guess, Clarice didn’t explain that part of notifications either.”
“Shit. She doesn’t explain anything, especially not why she’s always taking three hour lunches.”
“I have a theory on that, but first….” Lee looked at his phone. “It’s almost four. An alert automatically expires in thirty minutes. If you don’t hear anything after that, then it’s all clear and back to business.”
“That’s stupid…but at least we’re way past thirty minutes.” My brow furrowed. “That’s possibly the dumbest system ever. What kind of a shit system doesn’t actually send out an all clear?”
Lee threw up his hands. “I didn’t buy it. That’s just how it works.”
“Sounds like you need to get a new system,” I sassed.
“I’ll give you that. Now if we’re going….”
“Fine. Might as well if we’re all clear.” I added air quotes around the last two words.
Lee took me by the hand and tried to lead me to the side door where we’d entered.
I dug in my heels when the second thoughts kicked in.
“Hold up, Cowboy. I think I’m done if this is really all clear.”
“Don’t…don’t go back yet, Hope.”
“Like I was saying, if this takes any longer, it’s gonna be time to go home soon.” And find out if I still have a job.
“Just hear me out,” he said. “You’re already late gettin’ back. Might as well make the most of it…and maybe I can find a way to get you out of any trouble.”
The thought of Clarice blathering on about the shelter in place alert or making fun of me for my whole last hour didn’t sound like fun, so I considered relenting.
First, I checked my phone. She hadn’t texted me yet about where I was at, so I had that going for me. Not that she usually would have anyway. I pretty much had free reign to wander around the property as long as I could explain it away later.
She would buy just about any excuse, especially if I had a few pretty photographs to show her. It always came back to pictures, as if that was all marketing entailed.
Besides, Lee insisted he only wanted to check one more camera rather than head over to Distillation. Specifically the camera in Rack House B that he hadn’t turned on earlier, seeing how he’d wanted a little privacy. It was right next to the building we were inside and offered up the possibility of a drink. Not more wine, but some water and maybe a little snack.
“Fine,” I agreed. “One last stop.”
“Awesome,” Lee beamed.
I let him lead us back to the door, then along a gravel path to the door at B. As he pulled out his keys to undo the lock, he said, “So why did he take out the batteries? I haven’t cracked that nut yet.”
I had a theory based on my earlier interaction with a barrel house worker.
“Maybe he’s just like Little Willie. That big dude sure doesn’t like being watched.”
“Who does, really?”
“Willie’s certainly not the most social person either. In my short little run-in, it was pretty obvious he had a good-sized chip on his big ole shoulder.”
“I can’t say that I like being spied on either, if you know what I mean.” He wagged an eyebrow.
“You perv.”
He ignored the remark and held open the door. Once inside, we made like the last stop and walked down the center aisle toward the camera.
/> “Maybe they’re just planning ahead, like getting set up to steal barrels tomorrow or vandalize something,” Lee suggested as we walked.
“Not everything’s like Bison Fork,” I kidded.
“I know that, but there’s no reason someone wouldn’t try again.”
“Especially at a place as lax as this.” I almost bit my tongue when I realized what I’d implied, and quickly said, “No offense. I know you’re really trying to tighten things up around here.”
“And the inmates are fighting back…shutting my little system down.”
“When you get away with so much for so long, nobody likes being watched…or pretty much anything new and different.”
“They like you well enough,” he replied. “I can’t say the same for me.”
“You’re not as hot,” I joked but cut back on the laughing when it looked like I’d bruised his ego again. “I’m totally kidding.”
“I know.” He reached up to pull down the camera. The panel came off, revealing another empty battery compartment. “He got another.”
“That makes all of ‘em, right?”
“No doubt,” Lee replied as he put the panel back on.
“I guess it’s not a surprise.” While Lee rehung the camera and presumably pondered his next move, I said, “All joking aside, what I meant to say is that nobody likes being told what to do or finding out they’re not kings of their own castles.”
“I could see that.”
“I honestly think that’s why the cameras are shut down. Someone like Tim, or even Bethany if she has access to the system, probably saw those guys messing around and decided to trigger the shelter in place thing. Tim was here when the active shooter stuff went down, right?”
“Yeah, and I know he doesn’t get along with any of those guys. It’s a total hate-hate relationship.”
“Interesting,” I said. “All the better for them to mess with him, and vice versa. I wouldn’t be surprised if they triggered it themselves as just another way to get everyone to leave ‘em alone.”
“They are like a big club of rejects and loners, thinking they’re sticking it to the man, which means disruption is their little way of fighting back.”
I nodded. “That’s what I’m going with.”
“You could be right.”
“Think about it. Who wants someone always telling them what to do…except you, oddly enough. Sometimes it seems like you want me to boss you around.”
“I do like it when you’re sassy.”
“I’m being serious. For a tough guy, you walk on eggshells around me sometimes.”
His eyes narrowed. “I just want you to be happy.”
“That’s sweet and all, but…I don’t care if you want to take charge sometimes.” I cracked a smile. “Not too often….”
“Duly noted.”
“I would take something to drink, right now, if you want to keep me happy.” Before he could pull out more of his barrel-aged wine, I quickly added, “Water. Only water.”
“I think I can manage that.” He ducked inside the empty rick and returned with a couple bottles of water. Then an entire picnic basket.
“Oh,” I said, having not seen the basket before.
“Thought I might take charge,” he said. “I hear you like that.”
“Sometimes,” I smiled. “Now’s a good time.”
“Glad I have your permission.” He went to duck back inside the rick.
“It’s not like that,” I said, fighting a frown.
“I know. Just kidding.” Lee stuck his head out to give me a soft smile. “I really didn’t expect to be having this conversation now.”
“Me either.” I leaned up against a rick while Lee disappeared inside again. He returned with a third bottle of water and the tablecloth.
“You look extra thirsty, and I forgot this earlier,” he said as he spread the cloth on the ground at my feet. “Have a seat.”
At that point, I was so dirty, it wouldn’t have mattered. But I appreciated the gesture, and happily took a moment to get off my feet.
“So you were saying?” he said, after taking a long drink. “About me…walking on eggshells.”
“Just forget it. I was rambling.”
“That’s when the truth comes out.”
“Yeah, I guess.” I leaned back on the blanket and stared at my man. I’d started the conversation. He seemed ready enough to listen, so I figured I might as well finish it. “It’s not like a bad thing. It would just be, uh…nice if you like took charge a little more.” I swept a hand around the area. “Kind of like this. This was great.”
“I led you all over the place today.”
“Here, yes. This is work. I mean at home.” He seemed to understand, but I figured I might as well hammer the point. “You always want me to choose everything. Where we go, where we eat, when we…whatever. If I’m being honest, it’s kinda exhausting.”
“Oof. That’s not what I wanted to hear.”
“It’s just the facts, right? Isn’t that what we’re all about?”
“Absolutely.” He nodded firmly and reached out to take my hand. “I need to know or I can’t fix it.”
“That’s sweet, and super understanding.”
“Whatever it takes.” He squeezed my hand. “You mean more than anything to me, Hope. You’re my everything.”
“I feel the same way. A hundred percent,” I whispered back, and let a happy smile break out.
Lee looked equally pleased. “Good. Glad we got that settled.”
“Me too. So the takeaway is to just know this….” I paused for dramatic effect. “Be decisive, Lee. Sometimes you just gotta make a move, man.”
Did he ever. His tongue was halfway down my throat in a matter of seconds.
CHAPTER 17
“Maybe not that decisive,” I murmured as Lee brushed away my hair to kiss my cheek.
“Damn, I should have done this earlier,” he whispered in my ear, then nibbled on the lobe.
“Definitely not.” I sat back anyway, arching my body so he could get at my neck better. The boy took the hint.
He slid around behind me and came on extra strong, wrapping his arms around my shoulders to really press his back into me. His lips found that perfect spot at the notch between my neck and shoulder, and he had me overheated in no time.
I could have stayed there for a while, breathing deeply as he held me tightly, his magic lips like a bottle of ibuprofen working on the stiff muscles in my neck.
His arms didn’t stay around me long. Next thing I knew as I blissfully let him kiss away the pain of a long day, his fingers tickled down my side.
I squirmed, fighting off a nervous laugh. Tickling was a major buzz kill for me, but it’d only been an accident. His hands found their mark—the tail of my dress.
In a matter of seconds, he’d lifted me off the floor and had my dress hiked up over my backside. Just a narrow strip of lacey underwear kept my bare ass from resting on the tablecloth.
I wanted to turn to him, but he went back to holding me tightly. One arm wrapped around the lump of fabric around my belly, the other one across the top of my shoulders.
“Oh, Lee,” I moaned as he continued working over my neck, only his greedy hands went on the move again.
The dress hiked up to my chest, hanging up under my breasts. Deftly as a surgeon, he worked the dress practically up to my neck, all while continuing to kiss me along the collarbone.
I almost had him fooled with the front clasp on my bra. After a quick check of the back strap, his hands were right back around front, pulling at the hooks.
With a quick tug, the girls popped free.
It was all getting way out of hand, but Lee didn’t let up on my neck. He switched sides, though, burrowing in deep and moaning into my skin.
Up front, my boobs got the same gentle treatment. His giant hands cupped my breasts, but only to hold them safe and secure like my bra. Just warmer; and surprisingly softer.
A thumb and for
efinger pinched each of my nipples. Extra softly. Tugging. Stroking gently. Pinching again.
They responded like it was the dead of winter. I could’ve put an eye out.
Lee got up on his knees and stretched out, towering over my shoulder. Reaching across my chest, he cupped my left breast with both hands and growled, “Hope, I want you so bad.”
Same, Cowboy. No doubt about it.
He lifted my breast toward my shoulder as he leaned way over to tease my nipple with his tongue.
Warmth ran through me, way hotter than a little neck kissing. I leaned back so he could get a better angle. He slid to the side and slipped my nipple into his mouth. Sucking. Pulling. Scraping his teeth gently across it.
I tingled all the way to my toes. I wanted to kiss him, but he was committed to giving my breasts the deluxe treatment. He sucked at one and then the other. Pulling at the flesh, making me squirm.
“Dammit, Lee. Kiss me.”
He cupped both breasts with his hands again while he adjusted, fingers going right to the nipples like they belonged there. I sure wasn’t complaining.
We kissed. Long and hard. Passionate. Until I had to come up for air.
My man wasn’t about to quit, nor did I want him too. He finally pulled my dress the rest of the way off and tossed it aside. Then he laid me back, kissing the front of my neck down to the middle of my chest. Still teasing my nipples as he went.
I moaned again when he slipped a thigh inside of mine and pressed against me. Firmly. Moving up and down in gentle thrusts.
Finally my boobs got a break. He gave a final tug and let go to roll onto his side, pulling me with him.
I yanked at the tail of his shirt, trying to get it off, while he didn’t waste any time. His hand glided across my belly, stopping for only a moment to slide under the waistband of my panties.
“Oh, hell yeah,” I mumbled, and gave up on his shirt to lean back, hardly able to move as he rubbed just below the waistband. Then lower.
Lee rolled me fully onto my back, spreading my legs again as he went. His pants were basically the only things holding us up. I undid his button and slid the zipper down as stared at me with unbridled passion.
